A Day in the Life
by jenepeuxpaslecroire
Summary: The purpose of these drabbles is to use Reno to show what it means to be a Turk, to work for Shinra, and the relationship the Turks have with other departments/groups--ie. SOLDIER, AVALANCHE, Research, Administration, civilians, etc.
1. Chapter 1 : Final Fantasy VII

A Day in the Life

_Collection of drabbles_

l l l

The purpose of these drabbles is to use Reno to show what it means to be a Turk, to work for Shinra, and the relationship the Turks have with other departments/groups (ie. SOLDIER, AVALANCHE, Research, Administration, civilians, etc.). And, of course, to explore what it means to be Reno. heh.

Characters/ideas from _Final Fantasy VII_, _Crisis Core_, _Before Crisis_, _Dirge of Cerberus_, and _Advent Children_ are all fair game.

l l l Part 1 l l l

Standing less than a foot away, Reno stood transfixed as the body before him seized continuously for several moments before going limp, hanging loosely by the restraints fastened to the wall. Thick red blood dripped slowly from the naked figure, dark and unforgiving, spreading from several wounds marked into the flesh, contrasting starkly with the pale skin under the bright florescent lighting.

Reno's eyes were glazed, but his mouth was shut, and he almost forgot to hold his breath, but he didn't. A slow smirk pulled at the corners of his mouth, but instead he let a short laugh escape his lips, and smacked his left hand to the wall right beside the downturned face.

"Do it again—just in case." Rude's voice was calm, bored even, coming from behind him near the door.

Reno took the arm of his sleeve—the arm that was holding tight to the slim rod he carried in his right hand—and carelessly wiped it across his mouth, running his gaze up and down the body, a corpse probably—it was giving off a pungent smell that was not unlike the smell of cooked flesh—a fragrance, Reno considered.

Removing his hand from the wall, he scoffed slightly, never taking his eyes off the scorched piece of flesh—_piece of shit_—"Yeah."

This time he took a step back, putting some distance between himself and the wall.

And it was only eight AM in the morning.

l l l

_to be continued._


	2. Chapter 2 : Crisis Core

A Day in the Life

_Collection of drabbles._

l l l Part 2 l l l

"Genesis has disappeared." Rufus didn't look up from the paper he was studying, but sat back further in his chair, and he didn't respond. Instead, he reached over and turned the page, his eyes scanning quickly across the report.

"Sir."

Raising his head, he glanced carelessly at the SOLDIER standing before him. "Then find him," he stated, not particularly surprised by the news.

"We've tried, sir. He apparently doesn't—"

Rufus cut him off with a raise of his hand and reached over for his cell phone, flipping it open. He closed the report on his desk before speaking.

"Get in here." His voice was stern and gave no room for dispute.

The SOLDIER shuffled nervously from the other side of the desk, but Rufus didn't look at him nor acknowledge him. The door opened suddenly and a tall, lanky figure walked into the room, straight past the SOLDIER and right up to the desk. He was grinning widely but he didn't say a word.

Rufus leaned over, sliding the red folder across the immaculate desk, and said, "Find Rhapsodos." He then looked up at the suited man standing next to his desk and raised an eyebrow, looking pointedly at his outfit—"And tuck your damn shirt in."

Reno smirked, taking the file, and read the label across the side. _Genesis Rhapsodos._ He shook his head wryly. "Crazy fucker," he muttered.

Looking up, he grinned. "Sure thing, boss." Giving said _boss_ a mock salute, he turned on his heel and made to leave the room.

"Reno." The SOLDIER standing in front of him gave him a resentful look. His arms were crossed resolutely across his chest, and he was holding his head high, trying to use the extra height to look intimidating.

"Out of my way, Hewley." Reno pushed past the SOLDIER operative, not caring in the least for a pissing contest, especially not in Rufus's office. Before he could get the door open, he was stopped again by the irritating sound of Angeal's voice.

"Make sure you bring him back in one piece."

_One piece—yeah right_, Reno thought. "We'll see." And with that, he left the room, the door closing soundly behind him.

l l l

_to be continued._


	3. Chapter 3 : Final Fantasy VII

A Day in the Life

_Collection of drabbles._

l l l Part 3 l l l

"When I said 'break his neck,' I wasn't serious," Tseng criticized, eyeing the grotesque figure on the floor between Reno and Rude.

"I was just doing my job, yo. It's not my problem he didn't have any last words," Reno protested, though half-heartedly. He was standing over the disfigured body, hands on his hips, smirking.

"It's not like you gave him a chance to give any," Rude stated, reaching out his foot to nudge the body, half-hoping it was still alive so he'd have something to kill. Instead, the corpse lay there unmoving, neck at an odd angle, arms and legs askew, and eyes wide open.

"Since when do you ever do what anyone tells you, Reno?" Tseng asked, watching both the other Turks, exasperated as usual.

Reno squatted down and reached into the pocket of the man's vest, pulling out the pack of cigarettes he had noticed earlier. "Exactly." Using the lighter he kept in his own pocket, he lit one up and took a long drag, mockingly exhaling the smoke into the man's face. "I just wanted to shut the fucker up," he explained.

"You could have cut out his tongue," Rude deadpanned.

"And have the bastard scream the whole time? Hell no. Besides, it's not that often that I get to break a neck. I like to vary my methods from time to time," Reno grinned shamelessly.

"We could have tortured him first, you fuck." Rude tightened his fist and kicked the corpse this time.

"You can always have a go at me if you need to release some pent up aggression, Rude. You know I'd put up a good fight—maybe even kick your ass," Reno leered. Then his expression changed and he scowled. "And don't call me a fuck."

l l l

_to be continued._


	4. Chapter 4 : Final Fantasy VII

A Day in the Life

_Collection of drabbles._

l l l Part 4 l l l

With a heavy sigh, Reno pushed open the door to his apartment, leaving his keys, cell phone, and EMR on the nearby coffee table after silently closing the door behind him. Not bothering with the light, he reached up and began unbuttoning his shirt, immensely glad he wasn't wearing a tie—he never wore one—shrugging his jacket off without a second thought. His shirt quickly followed suit, falling to the carpet, as he made his way to his room. Toeing his shoes off as he went, he noticed the light blinking intermittently on his answering machine, but he didn't care. He had a cell phone for a reason.

When he reached the doorway to his room, he leaned heavily against the frame and ran a hand through his bangs, pulling his goggles off only to drop them to the floor as well. He took his belt off before crawling onto his bed and burying his head deeply into the pillows. He was so exhausted. He couldn't remember the last time he had had more than three hours of sleep at a time. In fact, he couldn't remember the last time he'd been this tired.

His eyelids had been closed long before he'd reached his room, and now that his body was all but lifeless, he attempted to shut off his mind as well, quelling the desire to dream. He distantly heard his phone begin to ring from where he'd left it, but decided it was far easier and more benefitting to answer the call to sleep instead. If it were that important, he thought, they'd come wake him up instead.

l l l

_to be continued._


	5. Chapter 5 : Final Fantasy VII

A Day in the Life

_Collection of drabbles._

l l l Part 5 l l l

Flashes of his last mission played behind his closed eyelids, painful reminders of what it cost to work for Shinra. He let the water pour over his head and down his body, the warmth penetrating his cold body, but not his heart. It washed away the remnants from the night before, washed all the sweat and tears he didn't cry down the drain, probably half-clogged with years of blood and brain matter and filth. He rested his head on the tiles, the water cascading down his back, and the images continued to play.

_Aiming the gun right at the woman's forehead, he sneered contemptuously down at her. "Where is he?"_

_With wide, tearful eyes, she pleaded, "No! I don't know! He didn't—"_

_Bang._

_The sound of her body hitting the ground was unnaturally louder in Reno's ears than the shot itself._

"_Bitch."_

_He turned and left the room, heading in the direction he remembered seeing Rude go, wondering if he was having any luck with the other renegade. _

He could still hear her body hitting the cold, tile floor. With his head against the shower wall, he vaguely wondered if the floor she fell upon felt like the tile he was leaning on—cold, emotionless, and white.

_No_, he thought, _the floor wasn't white. Anymore, at least._ Dark red blood had been splattered carelessly across the surface of the floor, and it continued to run from her lifeless body, he remembered. It seeped into the cracks, stained the grout red like paint. Yes, like paint. He had wanted to run his fingers through it, knowing it would go to waste anyway, dark red blood that was no longer keeping something alive. But her blood was already on his hands, no matter how hard he tried to tell himself that it wasn't. That he hadn't touched her blood. He hadn't reached down to satisfy that desire—that split-second temptation. He had left without her blood, at least he hoped.

l l l

_to be continued._


	6. Chapter 6 : Crisis Core

A Day in the Life

_Collection of drabbles._

l l l Part 6 l l l

"Hey, Cissnei, if that really is your name, Rude and I are going out for drinks after we get back—you should come," Reno offered. He leaned over to look at her from his position in the front seat of the car, while Rude maneuvered them back to headquarters.

Cissnei returned his look from the corner of her eye but said nothing. Her arms were crossed, and she had one leg over the other, but her head was facing the window. The last time Reno had invited her to join them, he forgot to mention Rude wouldn't be there, and she wasn't amused at all by his desire to be alone with her.

"I'll pass," she offered instead.

She could feel Reno's eyes on her, but she continued to look out the window as they neared the Shinra building. All she wanted to do was get back so she could take a long, hot shower—and get out of the suit. She definitely didn't want to be around a drunken Reno anytime soon.

"Well, if you change your mind…" he paused, then added with a grin, "I'll save you a seat anyway."

l l l

_to be continued._


	7. Chapter 7 : Final Fantasy VII

A Day in the Life

_Collection of drabbles._

l l l Part 7 l l l

"Well, at least he got what he wanted," Rufus's voice was calm, clear, with a hint of boredom, but Reno could hear a slight tone of remorse. Rufus was standing near the large windows of his father's office, looking out into the dark sky, one of his hands running across the glass.

"Death?" Reno asked, confused. Shinra didn't want death—not his own, at least.

Rufus didn't turn around. Instead, he brought his hand down and clenched it tightly into a fist.

"No—well, yes—the Promised Land."

Turning around, he looked down at the desk before him. "And he thought he needed the Cetra to find it," he sighed. There was an open file sitting casually on the desk, yet it was empty. _Aerith Gainsborough._ He closed it silently and sat down in the chair.

"But she's gone." Reno smirked. "You want us to find her?" Finding Aerith meant having to go up against AVALANCHE yet again, which Reno was more than happy to do.

Rufus only leaned back in his father's chair and closed his eyes. "Find Sephiroth."

Reno stared for a moment, adrenaline beginning to rise inside him. "Yes, sir," he grinned. Turning around, he sauntered out of the room, finally glad he had a worthwhile challenge to pursue.

Rufus turned to look back out the window, images of his father's death replaying in his mind. He should be happy, for once not having to answer to that smug bastard, but he couldn't feel anything but grief, just slightly, at least, and a degree of envy. His father had successfully run Shinra to the ground from what it once used to be. His pursuit of the Promised Land had ended up killing him, but Rufus knew it could have gotten much worse—maybe Sephiroth had done him a favor, he thought, before quickly disregarding it.

Sephiroth was after that Cetra, and if what she had said were true, then he was going to destroy them all.

l l l

_to be continued._


	8. Chapter 8 : Final Fantasy VII

A Day in the Life

_Collection of drabbles._

l l l Part 8 l l l

"Fuck!" Reno whipped his head around, surprised at Rude's outburst, to see him hit the ground and roll to the side. He was clutching his shoulder tightly, but he hadn't yet lowered his gun.

Reno waved his own weapon at Rude. "Get the hell up, yo, before I shoot you, too."

"I think it hit a major artery, man." Rude grunted as he stood up, aiming his gun across the room and shot the man Reno was aiming for right in the head.

"Hey! He was _mine_!" Reno ducked behind a large cardboard box, then realized it probably wouldn't provide much cover, especially since it was currently empty.

"Shit! Cover me, yo," he yelled, and then dodged across the room as bullets ricocheted around him. He landed roughly against the opposite wall where Rude was standing behind a large steel console, a bit slouched, clutching tightly to his right shoulder, his hand covered in blood.

"Now," Reno grinned, "let's finish this." He pulled out a grenade and smiled slowly. Removing the pin, but still holding the clip down, he eyed Rude.

"I might have to use two—we'll see." Then he tossed the grenade over the console and waited.

The explosion knocked both of them off their feet and rattled the infrastructure of the building they were in. Debris went everywhere, pieces of mangled steel clattering to the ground around them.

Crouching, Reno turned to look at his partner who was slowly getting to his feet.

Ignoring the throbbing in his shoulder, Rude brushed the dirt off his pants and from the front of his jacket before adjusting his sunglasses. He gave Reno a look before surveying the rest of the room.

"Let's go."

l l l

_to be continued._


	9. Chapter 9 : Crisis Core

A Day in the Life

_Collection of drabbles._

l l l Part 9 l l l

Reno maneuvered the helicopter carefully, keeping his eyes peeled for any sign of the targets. Rude was looking out the opposite window, searching the ground below, his eyes more focused on the task at hand, as Reno tried to do two things at once, of which he would argue he was more than capable of handling. Instead of the brunette SOLDIER and the blond infantryman they were hoping to find, all Reno could see were more trees and rocks, the land extending for miles into the distance, but no targets.

He sighed resolutely and sat back in his seat. "So these letters Tseng has—they're from the Cetra, right?"

His partner didn't move from his spot at the window, "Yes."

Apparently she had been sending letters ever since the SOLDIER's disappearance several years before.

Reno sighed—he didn't consider himself an expert on this sort of matter. "You think we'll find him?"

"We have to. Shinra's already dispatched his men to take care of the situation—we have to find him first," Rude reminded him.

"Right."

Rude turned to give him a look but the redhead shrugged it off, turning instead to get back to the search.

The last time Reno had seen Zack was long before he'd left for Nibelheim with Sephiroth. And he didn't remember Cloud at all. The blond was a nobody, for all he cared. Reno wasn't the one who had scouted for him—that had been Tseng.

"What do you think'll happen to them when we find them? They're fugitives, right?"

Rude nodded but didn't answer.

"You think they'll be executed?"

Reno didn't want to admit how much joy he _didn't_ feel at that thought. Zack was a decent friend, and an even better poker player. Reno had lost many a gil against the first class SOLDIER, but he was always up for a challenge, and Zack always proved to be one. Strife, for all he cared, could bite the dust. He was lowly infantry anyway.

"If we don't find them, they will. Shinra will make sure of that."

_Fuck._

Reno checked his gauges on the dash before turning back to the search, hoping the two men would show themselves soon.

l l l

_to be continued._


	10. Chapter 10 : post Advent Children

A Day in the Life

_Collection of drabbles._

l l l Part 10 l l l

Staring raptly at the glass in front him, Reno watched the condensation fall steadily down the side, pooling on the wood, bound to leave a white ring in its wake. He was mesmerized. With glazed eyes, he tried to focus but ended up staring through the glass and into the amber liquid within.

"You going to finish that?" Vaguely startled, Reno inclined his head toward his partner and shook his head.

"Nah, man—I think I'm done. I gotta take a piss." He went to stand up, leaning heavily on the bar. His hands held tightly to the wood as he gained his balance, before he turned and headed toward the stairs off to the side.

Rude shook his head and grabbed Reno's glass, downing the burning liquid appreciatively. His eyes trailed Tifa as she served another customer at the far end of the bar some form of clear alcohol. When she was done, she looked toward Rude, eyed his glass, and raised a questioning eyebrow. He shook his head, and tried to make it look like he wasn't just openly staring at her.

After a few moments of staring idly down at his empty glass, he noticed the volume in the bar pick up, and turned his head to watch a commotion brew toward the back—a nightly occurrence, he presumed, as he glanced at Tifa who was shaking her head but keeping a watchful eye trained on the group.

"Fuck! Don't start with me man—I said I didn't touch that skanky bitch of yours."

"'Bitch?!' Who're you callin' a bitch?"

Rude didn't have to look to know someone was going to get one hell of a beating rather soon. As the sound of chairs being pushed back and glass being thrown carelessly reached his ears, Rude pushed up from his position at the bar and made to head toward the back, but Tifa was already a step ahead of him.

"Break it up or I'll break both of you in half." He had to admit, she did sound quite intimidating as she pushed herself between the two troublemakers.

"Out of my way—fucker deserves what's coming." The taller brute practically snarled, but it was aimed at the said _fucker_ opposite the brunette bartender.

"She said break it up. I say get the hell out of here." Rude was standing tall, a few feet from the overturned table, his dark blue suit a prominent and unmistakable warning to the both of them.

The smaller of the two men nodded his head and eyed the entrance, but he noticed he'd have to pass by the other man in order to leave. Rude noticed his expression and turned to the taller man.

"Move. Now."

He wasn't at all surprised to see a fist flying in his direction, but Rude caught it easily, throwing his own punch square in the other man's face, who went down without so much of a sound. Rude sighed, irritated that he'd now have to haul the man out into the street.

Immediately, the other man made for the exit after throwing a few bills onto a nearby table to cover his own drinks. He gave Tifa a semi-apologetic look before disappearing out the door.

"What'd I miss?"

Rude turned to see his partner standing behind him, his left hand running through his wild, red hair. Reno then tried to straighten out his jacket, which had been hanging haphazardly on his lanky frame, yet didn't seem to notice the suspicious tear that decorated the left shoulder. His button up was currently only half-way buttoned and his pants looked liked they'd been trampled quite a few times.

Rude only raised an eyebrow at him, eyeing him skeptically.

Reno shrugged halfheartedly, "What?"

Rude slowly put his sunglasses on, never taking his gaze off the young Turk. "Where're your goggles?"

l l l

_to be continued._


	11. Chapter 11 : Before Crisis

A Day in the Life

_Collection of drabbles._

l l l Part 11 l l l

Distantly, Reno could hear the sound of voices penetrating the fog of his sleep, but he tried to ignore them as the steady throb in his head grew with such intensity that he wished he were still asleep. But his mind slowly came into focus and he could pick out bits and pieces of the conversation nearby.

"What the hell happened?"

"Kid disregarded the protocol. You know how he is—how he acts, though he's not fooling anybody." That, Reno decided, was the pleasantly surprising voice of Tseng—pleasant in that it would be incredible to kick his ass—and surprising because Reno didn't expect the man to actually be there. Since when did Tseng ever visit _anyone_, he thought.

"Then straighten him out. I won't have irresponsible members in my company." _Fuck. Shinra. And not the young one—this one was a fucking tyrannical bastard. And no fun at all._

"Yes, sir." _So obedient_, Reno reflected, _what a fucking traitor._

With the sound of retreating footsteps fading, Reno allowed his body to pull him back under.

Less than a week later, he was called into Tseng's office, but this time it wasn't for a new mission. Instead, Tseng was holding a _red_ file—personnel. _Great_, Reno thought, _what's it say in there about me now? _

Tseng cleared his throat and gestured to his left, and Reno turned to see another man, obviously a Turk, standing to his own right, whom he had overlooked when he had first arrived.

"Name's Rude—your new partner," Tseng explained.

Reno turned back to him and glared, "I don't have a partner."

Tseng only smirked, fully aware of Reno's distaste. "Well, you do now, kid."

"Don't call me 'kid,'" Reno practically snarled. This hadn't been what he had expected at all.

Tseng's expression cleared and he stated seriously, "Then stop acting like one, Reno."

They stared each other down for several moments before Tseng finished. "That limp better not slow you down." With that, he turned and left the room, his footsteps echoing in the silence left in his wake.

Reno turned to look at his new partner who was standing ten feet from him, hands behind his back, eyes disguised by a pair of outdated sunglasses. He was tall and dark-skinned, and very nonverbal. And not in favor of body language, either, it seemed. It made Reno feel uneasy and anxious, but he shrugged it off, deciding he wasn't going to let the man get one over him.

"So… Rude, is it? You got a last name, yo?"

He wasn't surprised at all by the silence.

l l l

_to be continued._


	12. Chapter 12 : Crisis Core

A Day in the Life

_Collection of drabbles._

l l l Part 12 l l l

As his lip throbbed painfully and blood dripped down his chin, Reno was reminded that being cocky wasn't that smart at all. In fact, it could get him killed. However, he was resolved to not let them see him break—he was a Turk, after all.

He was in the middle of a very small room, his hands duct-taped tightly and effectively to the steel chair he was sitting on. His EMR was MIA.

"I asked you a damn question—don't be a smartass, _Turk._" The man in front of him was wearing a sharp black suit, his black hair slicked back, and looked at him with dark black eyes. He was bent over, snarling in Reno's face, so close that Reno could tell he was a smoker. _Hell, _thought Reno, _do I smell like that, too? _He turned his face to wipe his mouth off on his shoulder, only causing the blood to smear down his chin and onto his neck. Suddenly, the man stood up and turned his attention to the other man standing in the far corner to Reno's left. He was bulky, not in a wasteful, lazy way, but in the threatening way—muscled and tough.

Reno tried not to look affected, so he grinned.

"I don't care for his fucking name. Find out what he was sent here to do. Shinra knows better than to send his men into my domain. He'll think twice before sending shit like this my way again." Turning toward the door, the suited man gave Reno a sickening smile—which gave him a very uneasy feeling he didn't want to admit having—and then left.

Just as the large man began heading towards him, the suited man popped his head back into the room and glared directly Reno.

"And wipe that damn smirk off his face while you're at it." Then he was gone, and the redhead was again left alone with the large man, AKA body-builder.

Eyes narrowed warily, Reno kept his gaze on him, waiting for the questioning to begin. Instead, his interrogator pulled his fist back and slammed it into the Turk's stomach, instantly knocking the wind out of him. He almost blacked out from the lack of oxygen, but he gasped in a deep breath and admitted to himself that he hadn't seen that one coming. _So much for the questions._

"You know, I could use a drink right about—"

His head whipped to the side by the force of the violent blow, blood trickling out of his nose in a stream. _Damn—this isn't going anywhere. _His continued to throb painfully and he could taste blood in his mouth.

Suddenly, the body-builder disappeared from view behind Reno, but seconds later he was again in front of him—this time, he was smiling. Before, he was all stoic and statuesque, but now he was grinning at the Turk as if this were child's play. Then Reno spotted it.

_Oh, hell no. _

His opponent was holding Reno's Electro-Mag Rod as if it were the baton in a race and he'd just crossed the finish line.

"Look. That's not a toy—"

_Fuck!_ Pain spread through his body in less than an instant, his body seizing uncontrollably for a few moments, his vision black, and he smelled burning flesh, but at least he hadn't passed out.

_So much for conversation._

"Why did President Shinra send you?"

_Or not._

Reno tried to speak but his tongue felt incredibly heavy and—_is that drool?_ He tried to focus as his vision cleared, but the room was now spinning and he couldn't hold his head up anymore. His fingers felt numb under the duct tape that was most certainly cutting off his circulation, and his goggles lay broken on the floor, damaged by the impact of his EMR. Not wanting to seem rebellious by being unresponsive, he gurgled out nonsense for a moment, words too difficult to shape.

"Speak up."

He took a few much-needed deep breaths to regain his faculties and raised his head.

"I said," he breathed, "Fu—" Suddenly, his body was wracked by uncontrollable coughing, and Reno was disgusted to taste more blood in his mouth, knowing it was coming from his own lungs. At this point, he had a split lip, probably a broken nose, looked like a broken rib or two causing some internal bleeding, and his head hurt like a bitch. There was no telling how much damage the EMR had caused. It apparently hadn't been set too high or he'd be dead. Still, it had wrought enough damage to make him delirious—well, significantly more so than he had been.

His head was pulled upward roughly by a hand fisted in his hair—"I will not ask you again."

Reno smirked as best he could through the pain, through the blood covering his face.

"Fuck you."

And suddenly the lights went out. Not expecting it, but never one to waste an opportunity, Reno took to his feet, his hands still bound, and swung the steel chair around to slam it into the body-builder.

The large man stumbled a bit, but because of his size, he was able to correct his balance within seconds. He grabbed at Reno, but his hands closed around the metal of the chair, and he threw the redhead across the room. Hitting the wall, Reno's left hand was mostly dislodged by the violent twist of his wrist, which sounded and felt like an inappropriate angle for that part of his anatomy, but he muffled his groan of pain by biting his tongue. Not thinking, or rather, thinking too clearly, he wrenched his hand from the restraint, this time letting out a painful yelp as the bones in his wrist twisted again.

In no time at all, the man was upon him in the darkness and began pulling the Turk to his feet. Reno clenched his eyes, waiting for the next hit, but before he could expect to black out from the pain, his attacker let go of him and slumped to the ground in a rather large heap. Reno cracked his left eye open slowly. That's when he noticed he could see. The light hadn't been turned back on, but the door was wide open and Rude was standing in the doorway, his arm stretched forth, gun practically smoking in Reno's direction.

"It's about time, yo. I almost fucking killed him."

Rude lowered his gun, "Of course," and then turned around to leave.

"Hey! Wait—untie me, damn it! I think I broke my wrist." He was slouched over so the weight of the chair wasn't pulling on his other arm, and he had the most unconvincingly pleading expression on his face.

His partner walked back into the room, right up to Reno, and pointed his gun at the other wrist where the duct tape was still attached firmly.

Reno jerked back hastily. "Hell no! Don't fuckin' shoot it off, yo! I need that arm!"

He watched as Rude grinned, but holstered his gun so he could grab his knife and cut Reno loose. The redhead cringed as he felt the hair being forced from his arm, but said nothing. And as Rude turned again to leave, Reno snatched up his EMR and followed him out.

l l l

_to be continued._


	13. Chapter 13 : Final Fantasy VII

A Day in the Life

_Collection of drabbles._

l l l Part 13 l l l

After a night of hard drinking, Reno wasn't surprised at all by the ringing in his ears or the steady pounding in his head. It was so loud to his sensitive ears, he could almost hear it echoing through his apartment. He groaned painfully and rolled over, burying his head underneath the pillows to muffle the sound. The soft cushion provided no shelter for the alcohol abuse. Instead, the pounding was louder and this time, however, it was accompanied by the sound of Elena's grating voice, also muffled, he noticed thankfully.

Suddenly, he sat up, but then cursed as he clutched his head to keep the room from spinning. Realizing the pounding, which he took to be knocking, was not going to subside, he got to his feet and made his way to the door, glad he had decided to leave his pants on the night before.

Wrenching open the door, he growled, "What the hell do you want?"

Elena pushed past him and into the apartment. "If you'd answer your damn phone for a change, I wouldn't have to be here."

Before he could answer, she continued into the bedroom, and Reno almost choked.

"Get the hell out of there, lady!" He rushed to catch up with her, but his hangover kept him at a slow pace, his attention focused on keeping himself from falling. She returned from the bedroom holding a crisp white button-up and a suit jacket in her left hand while she fumbled with his shoes in her right. She shoved them at him while making her way to the kitchen.

"Put them on. We need to leave."

Reno just stared at her as she rifled through his fridge. Noticing his distraction, she looked up him. "Now."

Reno was confident arguing would only fuel her need to voice herself, and at this point, her voice was already hampering his ability to think clearly, loud and irritating as it was.

After he'd put the articles on, he returned to his room to find his belt. Looping it through his pants, he idly wondered if they were presentable enough. Elena sure as hell wasn't telling him where they were going.

She reappeared behind him and handed him a glass of water and some pills. "Take these and let's go."

They arrived at Shinra Headquarters in record time, Reno holding his head during the entire ride to offset the constant throbbing, and Elena's driving didn't help at all. They rode the elevator to the 66th floor and then Reno followed the other Turk into the briefing room. Tseng was already seated at the end, poring over a standard blue mission file, but to his right there was a red personnel file. He looked up when they entered.

"Have a good time last night?"

Reno grinned. "As a matter of—"

"Where's your phone?" Tseng cut him off.

Reno shrugged, "Rude has it."

He watched as Tseng exchanged a look with Elena—and it made him feel very uneasy. She turned and quickly left, leaving a confused Reno standing in the middle of the room.

"What?" He questioned.

Tseng gestured to the table, "Have a seat and we'll get started." He pulled open the personnel file and slid it over to Reno.

"Rude went missing this morning at 0600 while on his way to Junon on mission 41276."

The redheaded Turk read through the report in Rude's file, then looked up. "He didn't tell me he had a mission this morning."

Tseng nodded while pulling out several sheets from the mission file in front of him. "That's because it was Level A."

Reno's eyes widened, "Level A clearance?" _Damn._

Tseng handed him the papers, then leaned back. "What we know is that the GPS in his phone went black this morning at 6 AM. That wouldn't be enough to worry Shinra—you guys go through phones like they're candy. But, he didn't make the rendezvous point either."

Reno considered the senior Turk's words carefully, mulling them over.

Suddenly, Elena reappeared in the room holding a remote GPS tracker and she placed it on the table between the three of them.

"I was able to get a lock on Reno's phone," she stated.

"Is it moving?" Tseng asked.

"No," she explained.

"Good," Tseng reached for his phone and dialed quickly.

"What do you mean? We have to go get him," Reno argued. Elena gave him a look at clearly said 'be quiet' but he ignored her. "Tseng, I can ready the helicopter in under three minutes."

Tseng only raised his hand and spoke evenly into the phone, "Dispatch team one to these coordinates," and he read the location off the GPS.

"What? No! He's _my_ partner!" Reno protested as he stood to his feet.

After hanging up, Tseng cleared his throat and nodded at Elena, who then stood up and left the room, leaving the GPS tracker on the table. He then turned back to him, waiting for the younger Turk to sit back down. Reno sat down with a scowl.

"Rude has never given us any doubt of his ability as a Turk," Tseng began. "But he was in possession of Level A information this morning and we cannot take any chances."

Reno stared at Tseng for a moment before his mind caught up with what he was saying.

"What the hell does that mean? Rude's the best Turk you've got," he pointed out.

Tseng nodded, "I know that, though I'm surprised to hear you agree," Tseng closed both files and moved them to the side so he could address the redhead directly.

"If I were to send you, do you realize how out of hand this situation will become?" He didn't wait for a response. "If it came down to it, would you be able to kill him?" Tseng asked, though they both knew the answer.

"So you would send a SOLDIER to kill him?" Reno said.

"No. I sent a team of SOLDIERs to retrieve him, knowing that they would get the job done any way necessary. That information can't fall into the wrong hands." Tseng pushed back from the table and stood up, then reached over and picked up both files. "Now," he continued, "You are ordered to stay here until this situation is resolved, or I will shoot you myself." With a final look toward the redhead, Tseng left the room as well.

Reno took one look at the closed door before hopping to his feet and grabbing the GPS tracker off the table. _Like hell_, he thought.

l l l

_to be continued._


	14. Chapter 14 : Final Fantasy VII

A Day in the Life

_Collection of drabbles._

l l l Part 14 l l l

Reno stood just outside the ruins of Sector 7 and looked on with a blank expression. His eyes were glazed and he felt as if he were looking through the scene before him, instead of surveying the damage. The bomb had been effective enough, though he figured Shinra wouldn't be happy to hear Strife and his friends had gotten away… again. They were always… in the way. Reno couldn't explain them any other way. They irritated him to no end.

_But now we have the Ancient, _Reno thought. He wasn't actually thrilled by the news, however. He knew Shinra believed the girl would unlock the key to the Promised Land, but Reno was less than sure it even existed. He'd seen her many times before, and though she didn't talk much, she didn't look like someone harboring this kind of secret. She actually looked like she could care less about such a place—and so could he.

The cigarette he'd been smoking smoldered for a few extra seconds after he dropped it to the ground, and then it went out as he watched the glow slowly disappear. Just like the flames from the blast. Most of what was left was buried under the plate, but smoke rose steadily from the wreckage, coating the sky with an extra blanket of pollution—clouding the city.

Reno had been hired before to do similar… incidents, but this time he couldn't take his eyes off of his own handiwork. He wasn't remorseful, he'd shamelessly admit. There was a certain grace to it this time.

He was certain Strife hadn't had the time to evacuate everyone before the plate fell.

Raising his head, Reno looked past the plate, the ruins, and caught sight of the SEC building poised in the middle of the sky. _Right, _he sighed, _mission accomplished._

l l l

_to be continued._


	15. Chapter 15 : Final Fantasy VII

A Day in the Life

_Collection of drabbles._

l l l Part 15 l l l

Reno exited the elevator and walked down the hallway toward the imposing double doors at the end, completely ignoring the woman poised behind the ornate desk nearby. She didn't look up. Without knocking, he entered the room, making sure to close the door behind him.

"Boss," he acknowledged.

Rufus Shinra, seemingly uncaring of the redhead's sudden appearance, spoke firmly into his phone while studying the file on his desk.

"Yes," he replied, "I want that report up here as soon as you get the results."

The blond ended the call and then closed the file. His face was carefully blank.

Finally, he looked up. He took in the sight of the Turk standing in front of his desk, hands swinging back and forth, gaze roving around the dimly lit office—he was almost bouncing.

Shaking his head, Rufus sat back in his chair. "Reno," he pressed.

The Turk's attention quickly corrected itself and he reminded himself that this was an unexpected visit.

"Yo, boss, Tseng said that I had to ask you about the new bird. He won't let me go near her."

"And for good reason, I'm sure," the young president made a show of pulling out Reno's personnel file from the top desk drawer—he kept it close considering not a day went by when he _didn't _have to consult it.

"Now," he began, "why should I allow you this time?"

Reno was going to argue his case but he could clearly see there was more in his file to counter anything he might suggest. So, instead he rolled his eyes and clenched his fists.

Rufus noted his petulance and ignored it.

"You have broken more equipment," he pointed out as Reno threw up his hands, "more so than any other member of my company," Rufus finished.

Smirking, the redhead pointed at the blond, "But I've never damaged a bird."

Rufus wanted to smack him. Instead, he sighed. Dealing with Reno was as difficult as dealing with a small child, an ungrateful, spoiled little boy who liked to play with expensive toys. _Except,_ Rufus thought wryly, _helicopters aren't toys._

"I don't even know why I'm paying you—do you know how much you have cost this company?"

"No, but I'm sure it's worth it," Reno grinned, "Sir."

Rufus had to admit that Reno was invaluable to the future of the company. But he still wasn't going to let him fly.

He looked at Reno's smiling face and idly wondered how the Turk could be so… happy.

Shaking his head as he tucked the file away, Rufus consented, "I'm heading to Junon tomorrow. Tell Tseng you'll be escorting me."

Not one to put a cap on excitement, Reno beamed, "Thanks, boss!" He turned around and left the room, but Rufus could hear him all the way down the hallway, commenting excitedly about "scoring" one over Tseng and that Rude would owe him "big time."

And Rufus was reminded of why he kept the skinny Turk around.

l l l

_to be continued._


	16. Chapter 16 : Crisis Core

A Day in the Life

_Collection of drabbles._

l l l

AN: Possibly a prequel to part 9—sequel might be part 23.

l l l Part 16 l l l

Reno stood back from the massive doorway, just close enough to see inside the weathered church to observe the SOLDIER operative within. He tapped his EMR idly against his leg—he didn't like waiting. Soft voices drifted slowly to where he stood, though he could only vaguely make sense of it.

"…_back soon… yes… promise…"_

"…_flowers… together…"_

It made Reno cringe. Sure, the girl was cute, but SOLDIERs weren't meant to be distracted like this one was.

_Fair's getting sloppy, _he sighed.

From his perch outside, he could see the flower cart tucked away near the side of the building. _Flowers. _Reno wanted to roll his eyes at the colorful objects, but he was painfully reminded of how vibrant they actually were. Midgar was dirty, dull, and drab—there were no flowers in the city. Midgar was polluted just as darkly as its sky was, and flowers held no place within its borders.

For some reason, he felt the flowers held a deeper significance than they presented themselves to have. It was no coincidence, Reno believed, that she was the Cetra. The only living Ancient—destined to usher forth the Promised Land.

_What is the Promised Land? _Reno returned his confused gaze to the flower cart hoping it could provide answers to his line of thought. The flowers merely swayed in the subtle breeze, catching what little light illuminated their petals.

With one last look, he turned away and stepped resolutely inside the building. The young woman looked past the dark-haired SOLDIER and locked eyes with him.

"Fair," he commanded, "let's go."

Zack turned to look at him before embracing the girl one last time.

"I'll see you soon."

She nodded slowly, a small smile gracing her features, but a deep sadness was etched within her eyes.

"Okay," she willed herself to say. Then she watched as he turned around and headed towards the redheaded Turk.

"Don't worry," Reno grinned, "We'll return him in one piece."

Aerith wasn't so sure.

l l l

_to be continued._


	17. Chapter 17 : post Advent Children

A Day in the Life

_Collection of drabbles._

l l l Part 17 l l l

Tifa grabbed the large black bag filled with miscellaneous garbage and made her way out the back door of the bar. It was just after closing time. Her feet ached from the long day, and she could feel the alcohol soaking into her skin, and imagined she could smell it sweating itself out of her body. She didn't drink it much, but she was around it so much she could practically taste it. The bar brought in good business, of which they needed the money, but she was looking forward to the day when she could say goodbye to the place and move on.

Pushing out the door and into the alleyway, Tifa trudged to the large garbage container and tossed the trash inside, wiping her hands on the cloth towel she kept at her side while she worked. Closing her eyes, she sighed slowly, taking in a deep breath, feeling the overwhelming fatigue begin to seep into her system and break through the caffeinated fog she'd created. Hands on her hips, she shook her head to clear her mind enough so that she would be able to finish up for the night.

With a slightly more awake focus, she turned around to head back inside, but stopped short when she saw the slouched yet very recognizable figure of one redheaded Turk leaning lazily against the side of the building. He was inhaling slowly from a cigarette with practiced ease. His eyes were closed and his other hand was hanging loosely by his side, resting gently against the brick. And he didn't seem to have noticed Tifa's presence at all.

It was a rare moment to get one up on the Shinra assassin. Though, if she wanted to admit it, she would bet Reno wasn't as unaware as he pretended to be.

Instead, she stood there and observed him. He seemed to be content with ignoring her presence, anyway. She'd never before had the opportunity to be this close to the man without her defenses raised. And although she was on alert, she felt comfortable enough to simply play along with his "off duty" expression.

The Turk was more haphazardly dressed than she was used to seeing—it didn't quite make him look sloppy, however—he looked tired. There were deep lines etched around his eyes, and faint circles colored beneath his lashes.

Tifa was willing to bet Reno hadn't slept in days.

Then his eyes opened. Though Tifa was standing in what could clearly be seen as his direct line of sight, he looked straight past her as if she weren't even there. Lowering his arm, he dropped the cigarette to the ground, the ember dying completely beneath the heel of his boot. Raising his other arm, he ran the palm of his hand across his brow in a pained expression, closing his eyes for another moment.

That's when Tifa noticed the blood. The back of his hand had trails of blood running along its length, ending below the cuff of his jacket. It was dark and looked as if it had already dried. Though, when Reno moved his arm away from his face, she could see it smeared across his forehead.

She knew well enough not to ask any questions. Suddenly, she was reminded of what it meant to be a Turk. And as she watched Reno turn down the alleyway and head away from the bar, she was glad he hadn't presumed her to be in his way.

With one final look at his retreating form in the distance, she made her way inside the bar, locking the door firmly behind herself.

l l l

_to be continued._


	18. Chapter 18 : Crisis Core

A Day in the Life

_Collection of drabbles._

l l l Part 18 l l l

There had been many times Reno had found himself at the business end of a gun—so much so that he was unaffected by the way the steel barrel pointed coldly in his direction. Judging by the expression on the other man's face, wielding the weapon was nothing new to him, either. They stood less than a foot apart, Reno's arm raised, EMR pulsing in his hand, but he stood still, aware of the immediate danger movement would hasten.

"Reno," the taller man offered.

The Turk lowered his arm but kept the rod armed. "Lazard," he acknowledged.

"To what do I owe the pleasure," the SOLDIER director asked. He was only a few inches taller than the redhead, yet his presence held more authority and caused Reno to take a step back, but he was blocked by the large desk poised behind him.

The blond smirked, but his eyes held a degree of irritation, which wasn't unexpected.

"Uh," Reno slowly smiled, "…reconnaissance?" He admitted—but he grinned at the other man, not feeling the need to lie to him. They'd been in this position many times before. In fact, Reno noted, Lazard was never unaware of Reno's breaking and entering.

"Hm," Lazard nodded slowly, eyeing his desk where a couple files lay open and haphazardly placed.

"I wonder, Reno, if you learned anything the last time you tried this."

Reno only shrugged, turning to grab his cell phone off the desk. "Well, I always like to come and make your day." He didn't attempt to make sense of the paperwork, deciding Lazard could busy himself with it later. Reno had found what he'd been looking for. Clicking off his EMR, he raised an eyebrow at the blond.

Lazard looked the redhead up and down for a moment. "You know," he began, but Reno cut him off.

"Look, this is all fun and shit, yo, this catchin' up and all, but I need to head back." He sidestepped the pistol, moving around the taller figure and headed towards the open door.

"Tell your boss he can come and look for himself next time," Lazard said. They both knew he wasn't talking about Tseng.

Reno frowned, though he didn't turn around nor acknowledge the other man's words.

"Always a pleasure, Reno," Lazard smiled dryly as the Turk exited the room, swinging his EMR by his side, acting casually as if being in the SOLDIER department director's office was nothing new.

l l l

_to be continued._


	19. Chapter 19 : Crisis Core

A Day in the Life

_Collection of drabbles._

l l l Part 19 l l l

"Next time," Reno stared down at the body, "you're the bait."

Rude ignored his comment, turning to survey the room. In the far corner, there was a large computer console, various beeps and lights signaling its presence. He made his way over to the machine and began searching through the files. The redhead was looking around the room, swinging his EMR around his wrist, humming the same tune he always did when they were doing reconnaissance.

Stumbling in his query, the bald Turk uncovered several classified files unrelated to their mission. The files were buried under years of coding and deliberately hidden under a second database.

Reno noticed his partner's halted keystrokes and questioned, "Did you find it?"

"No—but there's a ton of stuff in here about _Project G_," Rude commented. He removed his glasses and slid them into his coat pocket, leaning closer to read the particular file.

"Hey, man! We don't have time for you to read the shit—let's get the file and go." Always the impatient one, Reno glanced carefully at the door. There was still silence beyond the threshold, but that didn't mean anything.

"I think this is some of Hollander's research," Rude continued, scanning through another document.

Reno let out an exaggerated sigh and gave one final look at the door before sauntering over to his partner. He leaned on the back of Rude's chair and stared at the screen.

"Anything in there about me?" Reno asked. "I swear he's been lookin' at me weird lately."

Rude elbowed him and continued reading.

"Sure." His sarcastic tone was not lost on the redhead.

A sudden _ping_ from the hallway whipped Reno's head around. Instantly alert, his demeanor changed and he stood straight up.

"Get what you can—time to leave."

l l l

_to be continued._


	20. Chapter 20 : Before Crisis

A Day in the Life

_Collection of drabbles._

l l l Part 20 l l l

"…and we've secured grid four for development."

Reno really wasn't paying attention. Rude was taking notes, anyway. Instead, the redhead was watching the blond boy across the table from him. The young Shinra executive was also pretending to pay attention, his hand distractedly scribbling across the page in front of him, but his mind was obviously elsewhere. Reno watched Rufus' eyes carefully, trying to size him up. Blond hair partially obscured the blue eyes from the redhead's gaze, until the younger man suddenly lifted his head slightly to lock eyes with the Turk. Though caught off guard, Reno refused to look away.

_Skinny little Shinra boy, _he mused, _who does he think he is?_

Rufus continued to stare, but his gaze was questioning and careful. Reno merely raised an eyebrow at him—_what? _

A sharp jab from his left made the redhead look away, and he cursed Rude under his breath for having such an annoyingly pointy elbow. He didn't have to look at him to know the bald Turk was clearly unamused by Reno's distraction. Grabbing his pen, he turned back to his own paper, but not before giving the blond a final look.

Rufus was _smirking._

l l l

_to be continued._


	21. Chapter 21 : pre Before Crisis

A Day in the Life

_Collection of drabbles._

l l l

AN: This was my favorite part to write so far.

l l l Part 21 l l l

"Take it."

Reno hesitated a moment, looking uncertainly at the man in front of him. He was tall and thin, and he exuded a certain degree of authority that might have intimidated the younger man, but the redhead refused to look affected. Instead, he reached for the proffered firearm, the familiar weight of it settling in his palm and putting him more at ease. He'd handled weapons for many years and felt most comfortable with a gun in his hand. He felt as if it could erase the parts of his life he tried for many years to forget—the weapon a sort of redemption he could feel within his grasp. It made him feel _safe._

"Kill him," the field leader commanded, breaking him from his thoughts.

As the words rang in his ears, Reno's eyes widened and he dropped the pistol, recoiling as if burned—that was the last thing he had expected to hear. He'd heard rumors of the initiation and training required for selection, but he wasn't sure he was willing to submit himself to such measures.

Tseng merely raised an eyebrow before crossing his arms; he was not amused.

"I thought you were ready to become a Turk—I guess I was wrong."

The insinuation was not lost on Reno. It was humiliating and offensive, and he was never one to just _take it._ But this was different. His decisions from here on out would determine the course for the rest of his life, and acting on impulse would only hurt his chances of moving on up.

He tried to be rational. "He's just a civilian," he pointed out—then added, "sir."

"And that matters, why?"

Said 'civilian' was currently kneeling in front of Tseng, facing the redhead, both blindfolded and gagged. He'd already been warned to keep quiet, but the low whimpers and pleas did not escape Reno's notice. In fact, they heightened the significance of the situation, causing him to zero in on the fact that he was being asked to kill an innocent human being. A blameless man.

Tseng continued, "As a Turk, you are expected to act without question."

He stared hard at the younger man.

_Act without question… so unemotional, so cold. _It reminded him of the cold steel of the weapon in question.

"Now," his voice was firm but low, "pick it up."

Reno didn't hesitate. He knelt down to pick up the gun and then straightened, eyeing the weapon with a sense of openness. The cold metal began to warm in his grip, and his mind tried to wrap around what he was being asked to do. He wasn't being asked to kill an innocent man, he realized. He was being asked to _act_, to _get the job done. _It required a level of detachment, to be consciously disengaged.

And, Reno admitted, he would do it.

No longer were the man's pleas haunting his ears or clawing at his heart. No.

Tseng reached forward and removed the man's blindfold. The eyes stared into Reno's cold ones with rampant fear. He raised the pistol and pressed it soundlessly against a sweaty forehead, just above the frightened gaze. He could feel the man's desperate shaking, but he didn't move.

"Kill him."

_Bang. _

He didn't close his eyes until he got home.

l l l

_to be continued._


	22. Chapter 22 : Final Fantasy VII

A Day in the Life

_Collection of drabbles._

l l l Part 22 l l l

Standing in the break room, Reno cursed his luck. He was alone with _Elena._

"How's the shoulder?" She was _talking_ to him. _Great._

"Fine—how's the job?" He returned with every bit of sarcasm he could muster.

Elena stood up from her chair to dump her trash into the bin, and then turned to grin at him.

"Perfect," she drawled.

Her expression was not lost on him—it made his skin crawl. "Congratulations, by the way," Reno scowled.

"I should thank you for that, but I won't—I might throw up my lunch," Elena smirked. "Of course, you did take the time to spit that one out, so what the hell." She walked over to where he was leaning against the counter where the coffee maker was trickling its last few drops of decaf into the pot.

"Thanks," she said. But the look on her face denied all sincerity and caused him to bite his tongue.

"If it weren't for your little…" she moved her hands, clearly searching for the right word to describe Reno's situation, "…fuck-up, yes that's it, I wouldn't have had this opportunity." She narrowed her eyes at him. "Yet, at least."

Grinning, she leaned out of his personal space, turning to the side to grab a cup and pour herself coffee.

Reno stared at her for a moment, and then pushed forward to put her in her place, but his shoulder pulled roughly from the movement and he sucked in a harsh breath, quickly moving to ease the pain. With his attention immediately shifted, he didn't notice Elena had moved until she was right on him—again.

"Ah… does it hurt, Reno? _Poor thing_. I'll be sure to take care of things while you're out _recovering._"

With a clearly sarcastic expression and a raised eyebrow, she backed out of the room, but crashed right into Tseng who was trying to enter through the same doorway. Her coffee splashed and some of it ended up spotting her white blouse. With a shocked expression, she turned around to complain, but her retort fell short when she noticed who was standing there.

Reno only smirked, "Yo, Tseng—you should watch out for this one, she's a _rookie_."

When she turned to glare at him with her mouth open, he merely raised his coffee cup in her direction and smiled.

l l l

_to be continued._


	23. Chapter 23 : Crisis Core

A Day in the Life

_Collection of drabbles._

l l l

AN: You could say this one follows part 9, which follows 16, I guess.

l l l Part 23 l l l

The wind was harsher than the young Turk was used to, especially under the plate. The pollution was thick and he could smell the ever-present mako saturation that threatened to crawl under his skin, if it hadn't already breached his body. It was sickening and caused him to take a deep breath, sorely tempted to wretch right there on the spot. But, he hardly anticipated the girl welcoming him inside her beat-up citadel if she'd seen that display. His feet refused to take the last few steps that would lead him to the door. It was already late in the evening and he wanted to use that as an excuse to turn around and leave. Tseng had been called to Junon earlier in the evening before Reno could protest being awarded the dubious pleasure of calling on Aerith. He didn't know which part made him want to gag more—the smell, or the fact that he was being used as a messenger.

Reno never was good at announcing obituaries.

He wasn't nervous, nor was he afraid to face the young girl. In fact, his unease, he would later admit, had nothing to do with her at all. He knew once he stepped inside the church and saw her standing amidst the flowers, he would never be able to look back again. The bigger picture he had been waiting to see was staring him in the face, and he was unwilling to embrace it. He was unwilling to admit it was there.

Zack was dead.

His left hand gripped the small package tightly as he tried to ignore the blatantly obvious. He was being asked to turn a blind eye, to accept that the SEC was more than what even most SOLDIERs and Turks were aware of. A part of him was reluctant to follow their lead, but he knew he was in too deep to turn back now.

If he closed his eyes, he knew he would never be able to dispel the image that greeted him at the hilltop outside Midgar. He didn't want to admit that if it hadn't been them, he would have been the one to do it. He was focused more on the fact of what it implicated.

Shinra was collapsing in on itself.

l l l

_to be continued._


	24. Chapter 24 : Final Fantasy VII

A Day in the Life

_Collection of drabbles._

l l l Part 24 l l l

Smirking, Reno circled his partner who was crouching protectively on the ground. Various expletives emitted from the bald Turk as he cupped a particularly sensitive part of his anatomy.

"Fuck, Reno. That was dirty."

Nodding, Reno grinned. "You've been my partner for how long? I admit, you are pretty tough to beat, but you should know by now that I don't play easy."

Rude glared at him, trying to maintain an intimidating expression while keeping the pain off his face. Reno had got him _good_.

While the redhead was basking in his victory spotlight, unguarded and distracted, his partner grabbed his leg, effectively pulling the other down hard onto the mat below them.

"Hey!" Reno protested.

Rude was already on his feet, standing above the fallen figure, and had his weapon drawn just as quickly. He trained it threateningly on Reno's crotch, placing his foot on the man's hip to keep him from struggling.

"How much do you value yours, Reno?"

Reno was never one to keep his reaction quiet.

"Shit, yo! That's unfair! Get that fucking thing away from me!"

At least he wasn't smirking anymore, Rude noted.

"You're not the only one who plays dirty."

l l l

_to be continued._


	25. Chapter 25 : Final Fantasy VII

A Day in the Life

_Collection of drabbles._

l l l Part 25 l l l

The sun was setting on the horizon, casting hues of reds, yellows, and purples across the darkening sky. Faintly twinkling stars were peeking through the twilight, begging to be seen.

And Reno had his eyes closed.

Sitting beside him, Tseng sipped nonchalantly from his glass, ice clinking together with the movement. His gaze was caught by the dusk.

The two Turks had been sitting thus for over an hour, not a word spoken between them. Words weren't necessary. They both worked most of the same missions, and there was no need to discuss them. Especially today.

However, while they weren't talking about it, they were both replaying it silently in their minds.

An audible sigh came from Reno's silent figure, which caused Tseng to tilt his head to get a better look at the younger Turk. The redhead was sprawled out languorously across one of the balcony chairs sitting outside Tseng's apartment, his goggles AWOL, his suit barely put together, and he looked in dire need of a shower. But he was relaxed—or at least that was the impression he was trying to convey. Instead, Tseng could clearly see the lines across the young man's face. Reno's eyebrows were drawn together and his shoulders were tense. It was as if he couldn't let himself relax. And Tseng knew the redhead was drunk. He'd seen how much alcohol the younger man had consumed, and he was well-aware of how much it would take to intoxicate the man. But through the haze of his inebriation, he'd still not let himself unwind.

Tseng wasn't sure Reno'd ever really let himself relax. Though he often displayed an ostentatious persona, he was anything but. During the many years Tseng had known him, Reno was always intensely private and never revealed anything more than he had to about his personal life. Obviously, the Turk leader had perused Reno's file many times over the years, but he knew there was much more to Reno's life than he let on.

"Have you ever wanted out?"

Reno's softly spoken, barely audible voice cut through the silence and caused Tseng to jerk his eyes up to the other Turk's face. They were half-lidded and glazed, but Tseng could tell he was all there. His question threw Tseng mentally off-balance and he tried to make sense of what the redhead was asking. He realized he too was a little buzzed and wondered momentarily if Reno had even said anything. Then the words filtered in through the haze of his inebriation and he caught on to Reno's unexpected train of thought.

_Wanted out of what?_

He placed his glass down on the table between them and the sound was harsh and clear, causing both to blink. Reno's eyes cleared as if he suddenly realized whom he was talking to and what he'd been asking. He cleared his throat and straightened up in his chair before turning his gaze toward the sky which was now fully darkened by the night.

"Forget about it, yo." His voice was vaguely nervous and disarmingly young. "I think I've had too much to drink," he admitted. He glanced briefly at Tseng before lifting his own glass and raising it up with a smirk.

Tseng wasn't fooled at all. He knew exactly what Reno had been thinking—and he'd been thinking it, too.

l l l

_to be continued._


	26. Chapter 26 : Final Fantasy VII

A Day in the Life

_Collection of drabbles._

l l l

AN: This part follows chapter 23, with a significant time-lapse between them.

Disclaimer: Dialogue in this section (except from the flashback) comes almost verbatim from FFVII.

l l l Part 26 l l l

Entering the church, Reno's calculating steps faltered when he spotted the flower garden. Sent to retrieve the Cetra, he had expected her to be alone. Though her companion didn't appear to be much of a threat, his appearance nonetheless threw the young Turk off balance. Standing next to the flowers, the young man conversing with Aerith had yet to notice his presence, so Reno stood back to watch the exchange.

The young man's blond hair was striking in a way that caused Reno's brain to hurt, as if he were forgetting something important. A nervous ache settled ominously in the pit of his stomach and he refused to look away from the figure. That's when he noticed the uniform. Though the young man was garbed in SOLDIER attire, Reno was sure he had never known a blond SOLDIER like the one standing before him. Yet there was something oddly familiar about the way the blond carried himself, reminiscent of SOLDIER, but guarded and unsure. His stature was small, and the uniform hardly appeared fitted, instead awkwardly hanging off the man. The more Reno studied him, the more confused he felt about standing in the church aisle eyeing the pair.

Suddenly, the blond turned to face him and Reno was struck by the luster of blue eyes staring him down. And as confused as he felt, the confusion he saw in those blue eyes rivaled his own. The SOLDIER's face was impossibly young, belying the expression he wore, which was impressive in its resolve. There was a world of _knowing_ in those eyes—it captivated the redhead and left him speechless. And he couldn't dispel the growing sense of dread that he knew the blond.

Stepping forward, the SOLDIER eyed him questioningly. "I don't know who you are, but…" he began. As the blond paused, Reno had the distinct impression that he was trying to read him. And as thrown as he felt, Reno cursed himself for being such an open book.

"You don't know me…?" The younger man's tone was both questioning and hesitant, as if he were genuinely afraid of knowing the answer.

Reno abruptly realized the blond was unknowingly having a conversation with himself, but the Turk was not amused. His eyes locked with the blond's. Brilliant blue clashed with his own, and he realized with sudden clarity that he was staring into mako-infused irises. For a SOLDIER, that was to be expected. But Reno was beginning to suspect the man wasn't whom he pretended to be. Those vibrant blue eyes struck a chord within Reno—he'd seen those eyes before.

"Oh yeah… I know you," the blond countered, even though Reno hadn't spoken a word since their meeting. Still, he kept silent, mentally burning the other man's image to memory. He knew there was something buried deep within his subconscious that spoke volumes about the blond standing before him.

With unguarded eyes, the blond raked his own eyes over Reno's rigid form. "That uniform," he pointed out, more to himself than anyone else.

A sudden rustle from behind reminded Reno that he hadn't come alone. Two Shinra soldiers stood back, waiting for the Turk to give order.

"Heh… this one's a little weird," one of them spoke up.

Reno ignored the subordinate. Instead, he attempted to piece together the puzzle that was standing before him. When his eyes caught sight of the auburn haired woman to the blond's left, a strange thought struck him. _He'd been here before._ The fact that he was standing in the ramshackle church was nothing new, but the familiarity of the situation caused his skin to crawl. A sense of sorrow and caution overwhelmed his senses and caused the fingers of his right hand to itch for the feel of the cold steel of his EMR. The absence of the metal rod set his mind on edge. Instead, he reached underneath his suit jacket and grabbed hold of the pistol he kept there instead.

"You work for Shinra," the blond pointed out, never taking his eyes off of the redhead—those bright blue eyes. He felt like they could see right through him.

"Reno? Want him taken out?" The harsh voice of the soldier behind him cut him from his thoughts and pulled his eyes from the penetrating gaze. Instead, he focused on the girl, her figure tense and her eyes filled with a plethora of emotions Reno wasn't willing to name. She studied him just as deeply as the blond had, but her eyes held his with no hint of confusion. She knew exactly whom he was—and for that, Reno was afraid. He'd never admit it, but being near the Cetra caused his mind to stumble into memories he wasn't willing to relive.

With a jolt, his eyes locked with the SOLDIER's again and he realized just whom he was staring at. The blond figure was unmistakable, even after several years. But his presence nonetheless caused his heart to clench and he tried to gather himself without seeming affected.

_Cloud was supposed to be dead._

And with the clarity of that thought, flashes of memories forced his eyes closed and he almost dropped his weapon. A familiar face tugged at his memory. He knew whom those eyes belonged to.

l l l

"_Hey—you mind if I join you?"_

_Reno turned around at the familiarly irritating voice and shrugged, inhaling from the cigarette he was currently working on. The tall brunet stepped onto the balcony with a grin and reached forward too swiftly for Reno to react, snatching hold of the cigarette. He took a long draw from the stick, the end burning brightly for a moment. Reno was too tired to argue. Instead, he pulled out another and lit it just as quickly, inhaling deeply, appreciating the nicotine moment he was having._

_Letting out a deep sigh, the brunet dropped his hand, the cigarette held securely between his fingers. His head bowed and he stared fixedly at the red glow._

"_I'm heading to Nibelheim tomorrow," he began. His voice was soft—his entire demeanor had changed. In fact, Reno couldn't remember ever seeing the dark-haired SOLDIER ever so somber. He didn't know how to respond. Instead, he raised his own cigarette and inhaled from it deeply, closing his eyes. When the other man didn't look like he was going to continue, Reno looked up at him questioningly._

"_How long will you be gone?" he prompted. _

_There was another deep sigh as the brunet turned away to look up into the night sky. The pollution from the city kept the stars from being clearly seen, yet it still posed a spectacular sight from so high up in the Shinra Tower._

"_I'm not sure," he began. "I just have the feeling that this is it."_

_When Reno looked into the other man's eyes, he faltered. Zack Fair feared nothing. But as Reno stood before the younger man, he realized that was exactly what he was seeing. Blatant and unrepentant fear coursed through those blue eyes and caused Reno to drop his cigarette. With a curse he glanced down at the smoldering stick before crushing it under his boot. When he brought his gaze back up, the brunet had turned back away and was staring back up into the darkness._

_Reno took in his friend's profile, aware for the moment that they were on common ground. Their positions within Shinra were irrelevant as they both stood in the night air, both collecting themselves from the bustling atmosphere of mission work. And though Reno had worked for Shinra far longer than the other man, they were equals. _

_Leaning back against the railing, he crossed his arms and exhaled._

"_The kid's coming with me," Zack continued. His posture was slouched and he'd finished the cigarette moments ago. Reno didn't turn back to look at him, but instead regarded his own reflection in the glass of the sliding doors leading back into the building. They were standing just outside the break room; it was empty._

_Reno considered the kid Zack was referring to. In his mind, he pictured the short, blue-eyed blond with zero personality. Unfortunately, Reno was pretty damn sure the boy wouldn't make it into SOLDIER, but he wasn't about to reiterate these concerns—Zack had heard enough of them to understand the redhead had no confidence in the blond's ability._

_With a shake of his head, Reno turned back around to look at the city, the lights burning through the mako pollution induced haze hovering over the plate._

"_When do you leave?"_

_Zack turned away from the city, his eyes clearing slightly from the glaze that had overcome them moments before. _

"_Early," he responded. His head ducked again and he gazed down at his feet. Reno knew he was staring, but the younger man's behavior was causing him to become anxious._

"_Well," he began, trying to cut the tension he could feel crawling up his spine. "I'll see you when you get back, then." _

_He tried to smile, but he lost the sensation as Zack looked at him. There was a deafening finality in that look. So much so that he forgot what he'd said, forgot what they'd been talking about, and forgot why the hell he was even out on the balcony in the first place. Before he could lose sense of his own identity, the brunet blinked, breaking the stare._

"_Yeah…" He turned to look through the glass doors off to the side. Reno followed the turn of Zack's head and they both watched as several cadets filtered into the break room, rowdy and excited at such a late hour. A shorter cadet with striking blond hair trailed in after them, his head bowed and shoulders hunched. Instead of following them to the vending machines, he settled into one of the chairs at the table and folded his hands in his lap, unaware of the steady gaze following his every move. The other cadets banged relentlessly at the unforgiving vending machine before it forfeited their purchases._

_A sudden thought struck Reno and he eyed the blond speculatively._

"_Isn't Strife from Nibelheim?" he asked._

_Zack didn't turn to look but frowned deeply._

"_Yes," he responded. _

_Reno watched as the other cadets settled at the other end of the table, far from the silent blond._

"_Why isn't he excited about going home?"_

_Zack sighed deeply, and it caused Reno to turn his gaze back to the brunet._

"_I don't know." _

_With a sudden turn of his body, Zack reached over and squeezed Reno's soldier momentarily before dropping his hand, his eyes locked with the redhead's. After a long, awkward moment, Zack took a step back._

"_You owe me a rematch," he reminded, and Reno struggled to figure out where that had come from. Then his memory returned and he let out a short laugh, his eyes flashing briefly with amusement._

"_You lost fair and square, Fair. I suggest you admit defeat and move on."_

"_Poker may not be my strong point, but it's not a weakness—I can handle it."_

_Reno considered the man before him. "How 'bout a spar?" he suggested._

_Zack's eyes brightened at the proposition and he inclined his head to the side, clearly skeptical of the redhead's intentions._

"_A spar?" he questioned._

_Reno nodded, grinning. "Yeah. When you get back."_

_Zack eyed the suited young man. The uniform spoke volumes about his ability and character, both of which the brunet was well aware of. Unafraid and up for the challenge, he smirked._

"_Definitely."_

_As Reno watched the man turn back around, a sudden fear seized him and caused his expression to waver._

"_Wait," he called before Zack reached the glass doors. The brunet turned a questioning gaze on the Turk, but said nothing._

_The expression caused Reno to question himself. What was he so afraid of? Stumbling over his inability to voice himself properly, Reno settled on the familiar._

"_Don't let those bastards kills you out there—that's my job." And even though the sarcastic tone filled the void between them, Reno could see the understanding behind Zack's unguarded expression._

_Smiling sincerely, the SOLDIER nodded before turning back around and exiting the balcony with a swoosh of glass and cold air. Reno watched him leave. _

l l l

As his vision cleared, Reno watched the blond SOLDIER pull out his weapon—also familiar. A pang of regret tugged hard at Reno and he didn't know what to do. That was Zack's sword.

Aerith turned around and headed toward the back of the church and Reno jerked back to reality as he watched Cloud turn to follow her. As the two soldiers behind him gave chase, he tightened his grip on his gun.

With a sudden thought, he raised his head.

"Don't step on the flowers," he directed.

l l l

_to be continued._


	27. Chapter 27 : Final Fantasy VII

A Day in the Life

_Collection of drabbles._

l l l Part 27 l l l

_Fucking Ancient._

Reno stumbled out of the bar and into the dimly lit street outside. Greeted with the polluted air, he inwardly cringed.

_Gotta get out of this shithole and find me some fucking fresh air._

As he awkwardly ambled down the street, his senses dazed and lacking the necessary alertness for the hour of night, his mind recalled what he'd been attempting to drown out for the last several hours. The alcohol coursed heavily within his system, but flashes of conversation played before his eyes, causing him to stagger as his vision played tricks on him. He sort of knew what direction he was heading, but the more he let his mind wander, the more confused he was of his actual location. He could hear Tseng's voice in his head—not surprisingly—but it was tinged with a feeling of regret and a degree of hesitancy. And beyond the walls of his carefully constructed face, Tseng wasn't able to hide the misery clawing at his heart.

_Who does she think she is—was—what-the-fuck-ever…! She—where the hell am I?_

Startled, Reno stopped walking and looked around, his gaze barely focusing enough to allow for any sign of familiarity until his eyes locked on the imposing building in the distance.

_Fucking Shinra._

And as much as he hated the SEC at this point, and all the lies devouring it from the inside, it was the only place he could go.

And he hated Cloud the most for being the one to get her involved. If she hadn't been with the blond SOLDIER-wanna-be boy-toy, the girl would have been _fine._ Reno halted in his musings, a small voice in his head clawing at his mind.

_She wouldn't be fine—she'd still be dead._

Reno would easily admit he had no honest feelings for the young woman, but she was the last link to the puzzle that had begun to form in his mind over the past several years. The puzzle that began with a mouthy brunet and ended with an _Ancient._

As her picture faded from his memory and tucked itself away into the file labeled "Shinra Secrets" in his mind, he faltered. She wasn't the last link, but she was the most important. And now she was dead. Instead, he let his head drop and a deep sigh pull itself from his lungs—the alcohol in his system loosening his limbs and draining his body of every bit of strength he wished he had.

And as he thought of Zack, the young man whom he wished he'd actually spent more time with, his mind brought him back to the brunet's younger friend—the blond.

_Fucking Strife._

Ever since Cloud returned, Reno's senses had been thrust into chaos. He remembered the way Zack walked, the way he fought, and the way those eyes looked. And he saw all of those in the short blond boy running around pretending to be Shinra material. Something had changed in the blond since his escape from Shinra—something had changed in them all.

_And he hated him for it._

l l l

_to be continued._


	28. Chapter 28 : between CC and FFVII

A Day in the Life

_Collection of drabbles._

l l l Part 28 l l l

_So this is what it's like._

Beads of sweat trailed down the side of Reno's face, dripping from his chin. Electricity cackled in the air before him, his Electro-Mag Rod tight in his fist, arm raised and muscles pulled taut. The hair on the back of his neck was responding severely to the adrenaline coursing through him—and he didn't want to admit that his hands were beginning to shake.

"I should kill you."

_Yes, you should. _His knees were threatening to buckle under the pressure. Reno wasn't a suicidal person, and he didn't wish for his own death, but the guilt he'd been ignoring for days he was not denying—it was eating him up inside.

"Then why haven't you?"

They both knew that if Sephiroth really wanted him dead, he'd be dead. There would be no fight. No begging for his life. No time to process. Just dead.

There were days when Reno really didn't want to put up with Sephiroth's shit. Of course, the redheaded Turk wasn't stupid enough to instigate anything between them, recognizing the futility of it. However, most days, the General knew well enough to stay out of his way—or actually, vice-versa.

Reno didn't need to explain himself. News spread like wildfire through Shinra when the dispatched soldiers returned. It was several hours later when both Reno and Rude returned, Cissnei in tow. Between the three of them, they carried the defeated SOLDIER to the lab.

Somehow he had made it back to his room, stripped himself of his suit jacket and shirt, and sprawled out on the couch, ignoring the blood soaking his pants now bleeding into the cushions below him.

He didn't remember removing his socks and shoes, but the feel of the carpet beneath his toes reminded him that he was in fact almost naked. And Sephiroth was standing in his living room.

Somehow or another, they had ended up crossing blades—or rather, Masamune versus EMR.

To say that he hadn't expected this was a lie. He knew the four SOLDIERs had been relatively close, and that the General's behavior was becoming more erratic as of late—but then again, he wasn't the only one with blood on his hands.

Cold, unforgiving green eyes bore into his own. As a sneer replaced the deadly expression on his face, Sephiroth pushed Reno roughly into the nearest wall, sending the EMR to the ground.

"Fuck!" Reno cursed as a blade slid effortlessly through his shoulder, pinning him to the wall. Masamune was still clutched in the General's left hand, and Reno didn't have to wonder where the other blade had come from. Sephiroth wouldn't waste the effort of using his prized blade against Reno.

Grunting, Reno put up his right hand to keep the other man away, but Sephiroth was on him before he could protest. The burning sensation in his shoulder made him want to close his eyes, but he didn't dare. The only sound in the room was Reno's harsh breathing and the cackling of the rod lain forgotten on the floor—and what was that smell?

"I didn't kill him," Reno whispered raggedly, his body beginning to sag against the wall. He dropped his eyes, the guilt suffocating him more than the closeness of their bodies. And as he said the words, he didn't feel any truth in them. It wasn't a lie—they both knew it—but it also wasn't what mattered.

Sephiroth twisted the blade ruthlessly before leaning to whisper dangerously into the redhead's ear, the warm breath causing Reno to shudder.

"You might as well have."

Reno fearfully realized that if Sephiroth planned to kill him, he'd probably do it slowly and torturously—ringing every drop of blood from the redhead's body until nothing was left of him. He'd seen the evidence of such practices many times before and was well aware of Sephiroth's capabilities. But at the moment, he was clueless of the man's intentions.

"No." Reno dragged the word out with a breathless raise of his head. "You did,"—he certainly wished for his own death now.

Silver hair brushed across his face but he ignored it. When Sephiroth pulled back enough to look at him, Reno let him.

They stared silently across the small space between them, breath mingling awkwardly. Though remorse clawed mercilessly behind Reno's eyes, the blame was not fully his. But the silver-haired general betrayed none of his own thoughts—if he had any at all. Reno hardly expected the stoic man to reveal himself.

The throbbing in his shoulder intensified as the blade was pulled out, causing Reno to drop forward bonelessly, his body fatigued from the effort of trying to keep upright. Before he could hit the floor, Sephiroth grabbed his shoulders, wrenching a cry from the startled redhead as merciless fingers dug into the seeping wound. And he couldn't do anything about it.

The sound of his EMR hitting the opposite wall caused him to look up, but Sephiroth had already let the Turk slide to the floor. His head hit the carpet.

As Sephiroth stared down at him, Reno didn't move.

It wasn't until the General moved out of his line of sight and he heard the front door open that he let himself breathe. As it slammed behind the man, Reno's eyes slid shut and he gave in to the darkness crawling under his skin.

l l l

_to be continued._


	29. Chapter 29 : between CC and FFVII

A Day in the Life

_Reno._

---29---

Shinra Headquarters is on fire. Except, it isn't, and Reno wonders why it takes so much alcohol for the building to finally lose. He can feel the burning liquid warming his already heated body, sweat beginning to form on the surface of his skin. His white shirt is slightly damp from the heat—dark red blood staining the hem—blazer forgotten in the car.

Any other mission and he wouldn't be here.

He wonders if one day he'll ever leave—then he remembers that no one ever quits—and wonders if they'll ever get tired of him, of putting up with him.

The smell of something burning, the taste of ash in the air—it clings to his skin and mixes with the sweat trailing down his neck. He can feel it leaving muck and grime in the creases of his skin, but he isn't compelled to move. Instead, he brings the cigarette in his left hand to his mouth, the glow of the embers creating a halo around the SEC building standing tall in the distance.

The warm evening air is stagnant.

From where he stands just outside Midgar, beyond its walls, he can almost hear nothing—there is a level of silence he has never heard before. And it is so tempting to keep walking. But the sight of the mountains off in the distance reminds him why he's even standing there.

Most nights, he simply walks home. This night, however, he wanders into the sunset where the pollution begins to thin and the city walls are at his back.

In one direction, his downfall—in the other, the cause of his failure. And yet, he blames himself. He can feel it clawing at the blood slowing in his system.

Any other mission and he wouldn't feel this.

And the sunset fades into the dark.


	30. Chapter 30 : post Advent Children

A Day in the Life

_Reno._

---30---

When he asked for the assignment, it wasn't because it involved a hooker. In fact, it had less to do with that than it did with the fact that it involved Cloud wearing a dress. Even better because it wasn't the first time he'd seen the ex-SOLDIER in one.

The last time, even though he wasn't assigned, Reno was witness to a whole new Cloud he hadn't ever expected to see. And in an un-Reno-like move, he never mentioned it to the ex-mercenary. Instead, he held onto that piece of gold for the absolutely right opportunity to spring it on him. But the purely evil (he convinced himself) Turk was more regretful that he hadn't had the chance to get a picture of it. It would have been perfect. More than perfect. Divine. Cloud would never live it down.

Instead, Reno was stuck with just the memory of it. But that would suffice for now.

Until today.

Cloud in a dress always makes for a great day. No—a fantastic day.

"A bet, eh?"

Reno raised his empty glass in the direction of the blond. The blond ex-SOLDIER was currently making his way through the crowded bar toward one of the tables near the back.

Next to the redhead, Rude raised his eyebrow at Tifa's explanation.

"It's not as if he agreed to it beforehand," she supplied. "He simply failed to do what I asked. This is his way of—"

"Punishment."

By that time, Cloud was standing before the three with a very Cloud-like expression.

"—redemption." Tifa grinned. "Stop moping, Cloud. It's not that bad," she rolled her eyes.

Reno raked his eyes down Cloud's femininely-adorned figure. He had to admit that the dress threw him off for a moment—what with the exceptionally muscular physique Cloud tended to hide behind his normal attire. First, he didn't expect the blond's toned body to affect him so. And second, there was nothing about that body that struck the redhead as particularly feminine. Though the dress was quite revealing, and though it fulfilled the purpose of humiliating the infuriating ex-mercenary, it didn't actually add to the picture of Cloud Strife that Reno knew.

Though Reno was finding his mental picture of Cloud Strife quickly changing.

"Nice dress," he remarked, trying to get his attention back on track. And yet, that didn't quite do it.

Instead of snapping back with an equally sarcastic response, the blond reached for Reno's now refilled glass and downed it in one swig.

"Yeah," Cloud finally answered after a moment. "Thanks."

The redheaded Turk imagined Cloud probably wanted to be anywhere but there at that precise moment. To be fair, Reno didn't care where they were, as long as Cloud was there wearing the dress.

"Hey, Strife," Reno smirked.

Cloud turned to face him with one of his patented bored looks—Reno honestly didn't care how the situation was affecting the blond—and raised an eyebrow.

_Click!_

Snapping his phone shut, Reno didn't even try to hide the fact that he now was the proud owner of Cloud Strife blackmail. And though said Cloud Strife could be a substantial threat if he wanted to be, Reno was unafraid.

Instead, he leered at the other man, reached up, and tapped Cloud's nose.

"See ya later, doll,"—and walked out.


	31. Chapter 31 : post Advent Children

A Day in the Life

_Reno._

---31---

Running a grimy hand across his bloodied face, he closes his eyes for a single moment, completely attuned to his surroundings and the labored breathing of his fallen partner sitting next to him. He feels blood soaking the side of his shirt, still warm and wet, trickling down his side. It's necessary. And yet, for what? Rude's breathing is becoming increasingly shallow with every passing second.

The ground beneath them reverberates with the series of explosions going off several hundred feet from them. Other Turks have arrived and are attempting to stabilize the situation, but Reno is unsure if it is even possible at this point. His hands shake uncontrollably, his eyes are watering terribly from the heavy smoke, and he can feel blood running from his ears and down his neck.

_There's going to be one hell of a dry cleaning bill tomorrow._

Opening his eyes, the redheaded Turk looks down at his partner one final time. The peaceful expression belies what he already knows—and he is hard-pressed not to react. He is a Turk.

Suddenly and without warning, he is thrown from his precarious position several feet backwards, his body slamming violently into the rock face behind him. Dust and rocks of various sizes fall around him as he lands, but he doesn't have the strength to cover his head. Instead, he tries to keep his eyes open as the dust begins to settle. The last thing he needs is to get knocked out.

He can't quite clear his head enough to figure out what has happened, but he can feel it. His chest hurts with every breath, and his vision is murkier than he remembers it ever being. He isn't even sure he can get back up. Bullets whistle as they pass over his head. At least he still has his hearing, even though there is a persistent ringing that is beginning to irritate the hell out of him.

Reno had never thought hard about his own death, being something that he insists he doesn't fear. But as he lay beaten and broken only a few feet from his dead partner, he is sure it is the end.

Back when he worked for the Shinra Corporation, back when AVALANCHE was still an active threat, Reno wondered if Sephiroth would be the end of everything. He had come close, but ultimately, even the General was not strong enough to defeat the planet. And it was then that Reno wondered what could possibly come closer than Sephiroth had.

"Get the fuck up!"

With a very unmanly scream, Reno's vision goes black as his left arm is grabbed roughly and his torn body is pulled upward into a sitting position—there is no way he has any energy to even try standing. Deep, ragged breaths pull themselves desperately from his burning lungs in an attempt to regain his ebbing sanity. The pain is so great, he can't think past it enough to identify the voice. Instead, he waits for his vision to clear, though he is unsure if it even will. There is blood everywhere—in his hair, soaking his clothes, escaping from his wounds, running from his ears, even filling his eyes.

When the pounding in his head begins to lessen, he raises it slightly and opened his eyes.

"You should really get that checked. It doesn't look good."

_Cloud fucking Strife._

He wants to laugh, he really does, and not at the ex-SOLDIER-boy's pitiful attempt at humor, but at the situation. It is ironic, and it is incredibly hopeless.

"No shit."

With help that he would never admit he needed, he makes his way to his feet, leaning heavily on the blond warrior. It is strange. Strife is indeed more built than Reno is—his strength a poorly kept secret—but Reno is not a weak man. Yet, at this moment, he finds himself completely and utterly helpless, at the hands of his former enemy, someone he had never taken the time to trust, someone he disliked so much he couldn't explain it. He wouldn't explain it. He hoped he'd never have to face it.

But as today would have it, the Planet—the lifestream—had other plans. He'd witnessed this same situation multiple times before—utter destruction and hopeless chaos. With the Planet mere moments from her own demise, it was only natural that they would team up.

"Where's—"

Strife's voice trails off, a silent realization dawning on him so quickly that Reno doesn't have to ask him what he'd been about to say.

"Let's move."

It crushes him more than anything else to walk by the fallen body of his partner and not respond at all. He doesn't want to think about it, let alone face it. He has to keep moving—they can't stop. And yet he isn't sure he's able to last for much longer. His left arm hangs loosely at his side where he is sure it was wrenched from the socket when he'd hit the wall, and he's lost so much blood he has to wonder how he is even still alive, how his heart is still able to beat with nothing left to keep it moving.

Cloud doesn't acknowledge the fallen Turk as they move past him, doesn't even respond, but half carries the redhead until they are able to reach shelter a hundred feet away, though it could hardly be called safe.

As Cloud leans him against the rock face, Reno tries to stay on his own two feet long enough to get his bearings. Explosions continue to stir the ground beneath their feet and rocks continue to fall around them.

"Tifa held them off for as long as she could, but material doesn't seem to be working. They're using a ward strong enough to withstand our best summon."

From this tragedy-ridden, broken, and damaged ex-SOLDIER, Reno has never heard defeat; and yet the emotion in the blond's voice causes Reno to take a long look at the him, but he has his head down as if he's afraid Reno will see it on his face.

"She's gone."

He doesn't look up, and Reno wonders if the other man is crying, but he wonders more how Cloud could be here with him right now as his friends are fighting for their own lives across the compound.

No one expected for it to come to this. Death surrounded them like a fragrance, a smoldering, tangible fragrance that seeped into their pores until they reeked of its stench with a permanent imbalance. Life and death—and it is so quickly taken away.

He wants to ask Cloud what they should do. He wants to trust him. He wants to let the younger soldier lead them from this place.

But he's not sure he can.

Instead, as Cloud lifts his face and looks at him with the most stricken expression Reno has ever seen on him, they are silent.


	32. Chapter 32 : Advent Children

A Day in the Life

_Reno._

---32---

Reno is sure it won't work.

He holds his cellphone securely in his right hand, cigarette in the left, and doesn't have to wonder at the response he'll get when Strife answers on the other end. In fact, he'd put money on it that the ex-SOLDIER won't even grace him with his voice, let alone a greeting.

The situation is serious, and Rufus has succumbed to asking the blond ex-mercenary slash ex-rival for help, but Reno isn't sure what's worse. It wasn't too long ago that they were all fighting, that Strife was Shinra enemy number one.

Last he heard, Cloud Strife was hanging low.

So when the phone answers before the second ring, Reno is so startled, he forgets whom he was even calling. But it's the voice on the other end that brings him back to reality and his thought process stutters to a halt just in time for him to realize that he's supposed to be responding back.

"Lockhart?"

"May I ask who's calling?"

Considering their history, he's surprised she doesn't recognize his voice. He wants to mess with her, maybe cut her down a few pegs—just for old times' sake and all—but he can't muster up the humor in the midst of his request.

"Reno."

It isn't until her familiar laughter, soft and humorless, flows across the line that he relaxes. He was supposed to talk directly with Strife, not the brunette bartender. Then again, he'd been dreading this call all day.

"Yeah, I remember you," she responds, and her voice garners an edge to it he knew would be there.

It isn't until she asks him why he's calling that he remembers why he's calling, and he's for once glad to be speaking to her rather than her ex-Shinra counterpart.

"Lookin' for Strife—he there?"

She laughs again, and he wonders why this is so, considering there isn't much to laugh about nowadays.

"He's out."

Dropping the cigarette he'd forgotten about to the ground, he crushed it underneath his left boot as he took a deep breath of the humid air outside the lodge. It had rained earlier that morning, and mist was beginning to rise through the trees. In the distance, he could vaguely hear the sounds of Edge as midday began to pick up.

"Got some work for him—he available?"

The glare of the sun causes him to squint as he shields his eyes from its rays.

"Maybe. Why?" Her tone is challenging—he likes it.

"Got a job for him. Tell him to get to Healin as soon as he can."

He's glad he doesn't have to explain anything; even if she asked, he won't tell her.

"Fine."

_Click._

_She doesn't deserve to know, _Reno thinks bitterly to himself. _Nobody does._

Yet he wonders how far it's spread.


	33. Chapter 33 : between CC and FFVII

A Day in the Life

_Reno._

---33---

Reno was up, dressed, and out the door in under two minutes. His EMR, badge, and tie were left amidst the array of late-night Chinese on his coffee table. But he had his pistol.

Usually when Tseng calls, Reno takes his time. He knows it pisses off the senior Turk, and the redhead spent much of his time trying to find ways to accomplish that on a daily basis. But today was different.

The tone was different.

---

"_Reno."_

_The uncompromising tone held a level of authority that Reno was unaccustomed to facing. He recognized it immediately. However, it was rarely ever used toward the redhead._

"_Sir?" _

_Reno was known for being rebellious—for fighting authority at every turn, and even for making an extra effort to get on Tseng's nerves—but he was not an idiot. In fact, all humor aside, Reno was not a Turk for nothing._

"_There's been a—" Tseng cut himself off. Reno could hear a commotion in the background, and he wanted to ask what was going on, but his boss continued._

"_Get the chopper ready."_

_He had a dozen questions, but he was already out of bed, looking for his belt._

"_Yes, sir."_

---

The helicopter was running before Reno got to the roof. He wanted to voice his annoyance at someone else touching his bird, but the adrenaline coursing through his veins had him halfway across the roof before he could form words. His partner was already waiting, and he could hear Cissnei trailing behind him, her light, rushed footfalls recognizable even in their haste.

Tseng was standing next to the helicopter.

"Where're we going, boss?"

The informal words held nothing to the serious tone of Reno's voice.

"West."

---

_The burning ember of his finished cigarette fizzled out instantly the moment it hit the dark water collecting at the edge of the street. It didn't sizzle, and it didn't struggle to stay lit—it just went out. _

_A sardonic chuckle escaped the redhead's closed lips where he'd been chewing on them in his impatience. He was about to turn around and head back to the city, but stopped as he heard the unmistakable sound of a motorcycle in dire need of a tune-up come around the corner of the city wall at his back. The choking roar of the vehicle made him smile as he turned his head to greet the brunet._

_Zack parked his motorcycle next to the one beside the redheaded Turk and climbed off without a word. His gaze turned toward the distance where the sun was setting over the cliffs miles west of Midgar's borders._

"_Way out here?" he asked. Zack's voice was deep and held a hint of amusement at Reno's choice of location._

"_Fuck you. I love it out here." Reno rolled his eyes at the SOLDIER and snatched the red folder Zack held out for him._

_Zack ignored him. Instead, he turned back to look at the sunset. He wanted to admit that it actually was a nice place—just outside the city, just beyond the pollution crowding the skies and clouding the stars from sight. Here he could begin to see stars pushing past the light ebbing in the distance._

"_By the way," he began. _

_Reno looked up from what he was reading, an annoyed expression on his face—What?_

_Zack smirked.—"I need that back."_

---

The last time Reno had been out here was back then. After Zack had traded the information about _Project G_, Reno's life had become increasingly busy, increasingly covert, and increasingly risky. He didn't have time to sleep anymore, let alone time to get out of the city. Instead, he was engrossed in finding out what the hell was going on.

But he was back here again. The chopper flew steadily over the city walls and across the dusty plains surrounding Midgar as it headed west toward the mountains in the distance. He wanted to ask what they could possibly be doing way out here, but the urgency in Tseng's demeanor had him quiet. He was restless—he never agreed to go anywhere without having enough details to satisfy his curiosity—this time he knew nothing.

But when the helicopter neared the outcropping of cliffs, his senses became immediately alert and his gaze dropped toward the ground.

_Zack._

---

"_Wait," he called before Zack reached the glass doors. The brunet turned a questioning gaze on the Turk, but said nothing._

_The expression caused Reno to question himself. What was he so afraid of? Stumbling over his inability to voice himself properly, Reno settled on the familiar._

"_Don't let those bastards kills you out there—that's my job." And even though the sarcastic tone filled the void between them, Reno could see the understanding behind Zack's unguarded expression._

---

Four years. It was four years ago, the last time he spoke to the first-class SOLDIER. It was four years ago, the last time he even saw the other man.

Months ago, Tseng had them searching for him—both him and Cloud—but they hadn't found anything. Cissnei had been close, but she suddenly lost track of them—so suddenly that Reno doubted her claims, but nobody was willing to speak up about it. Nobody was willing to move forward. None of them were willing to _find _them. The only one who didn't give up was Hojo, and everyone knew he was obsessed.

As he landed the helicopter several meters away from the fallen body of the man he once thought was his friend, he wondered what would come next.


End file.
